August 11, 2010

Free yo' mind, and the rest will follow

Seared Scallop and Watermelon Salad with *Sparkling* Mint Vinaigrette!


Need a little Va-va-voom in your life? Something to help you break out of the mundane? Every now and again, I feel like I'm stuck in a rut. Same schedule, same clothes, same workout, same thoughts, same conversations, same meals...BLAH! Of course by nature, I'm a planner so I like schedules. Yet, even we planners need a little excitement in our lives!

Sometimes, one tiny change can get the ball rolling for transition out of dreary gray routine. One minuscule shift can starts the domino effect in ALL areas of life!

Last month I had a blah week. As I was preparing dinner one evening, it struck me that perhaps it would be nice to add watermelon to our salad, instead of tomatoes. Nothing  revolutionary, just chopped watermelon. The melon added the same watery-bite and sweetness as ripe tomatoes, but with the element of surprise!

I thought to myself, "Girl, you need to think like that more often! It only took one small adjustment to make this green salad sing!  Surely you can do even better with a little thought!" Hmmm...

With my wheels turning, this is what I came up with~ fast and fabulous seared SPICY scallops, floating on a watermelon disk, with finely shaved radishes and a mint-champagne vinaigrette.  


Cool, hot, soft, crisp, buttery, light...Yumazing!

Not only that, it inspired me to make adjustments to several other blah meals I've been cooking. AND, to switch my workout routine and start a couple new projects! SEE??? It works! Now, you give it a try...

Sommer

The only difference between a rut and a grave is their dimensions. ~Ellen Glasgow




Seared Scallop and Watermelon Salad with Sparkling Mint Vinaigrette

½ cup mint leaves
3 Tb. champagne vinegar
½ cup grape seed oil
2 Tb. agave nectar
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper

8 XL diver scallops (sometimes called colossal.)
Cayenne pepper
1 tsp. oil
1 Tb. butter
8- ½ inch slices of water melon
1 bunch radishes
5 oz. baby arugula
Salt and pepper

Using a 2- 3 inch cookie cutter, cut the watermelon into 8 rounds. Slice the radishes thin and set aside.



Pat the scallops dry and remove the “foot.” Sprinkle with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.



Heat a large skillet to high. Drizzle a scant amount of oil in the skillet and carefully rub it around with a paper towel. When the skillet is smoking; place the scallops top down. Sear for 1 1/2 minutes until you can see carmelization around the edges.



Using tongs or a metal spatula, flip the scallops. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and cook 1-2 more minutes.



Puree the mint, vinegar, grape seed oil, agave, salt and pepper in the blender. To assemble: Place a handful of arugula on a plate. Add one watermelon round on the arugula, followed by a scallop. Arrange the radishes around and drizzle with mint vinaigrette.



Makes 8 first-course servings, or 2-4 dinner servings.


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Seared Scallop and Watermelon Salad with Sparkling Mint Vinaigrette on Foodista

49 comments:

  1. I like your invention. The scallops look amazing.

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  2. Be colorblind...this looks lovely!! Love scallops.

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  3. Belinda~ I love that you got my En Vogue reference!

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  4. Absolutely gorgeous dish...love the creativity and the way you mix such a variety of ingredients...would love to try it :-) And the pictures are awesome!

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  5. Sparkling! This looks fantastic! Nice and fancy.

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  6. Too clever! I love your creativity and I have trouble believing that you have any blah moments! I must try this recipe, the watermelon looks so fresh and the scallops so succulent, wow what a combination:-)

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  7. Yumazing! I love that word! You sound like the next Rachael Ray! This looks so amazing, I can't believe your creativity. Could you send some of it this way please? I feel like I'm in a creativity rut these days!

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  8. I totally have those days too--it's almost like you force yourself to be creative to get out of a rut. Your creativity clearly worked in your favor. I can imagine how nice the scallops are with the watermelon.

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  9. Those scallops look perfectly cooked and sound just wonderful atop a watermelon!

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  10. Wow. What a beautiful presentation. I am sure this must taste amazing, the watermelon would compliment the scallops perfectly. I love it! I am totally making this.

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  11. ohlala...the scallop looks so succulent and perfectly seared!~ What a salivating creation!

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  12. I feel as if I can taste the dish by looking at your zoom in photo of the juicy and plump scallop cushioned on the watermelon. It definitely looks yummy and and two thumbs up for the gorgeous presentation of the dish. :D

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  13. I wish I liked scallops! This dish is beautiful. Isn't nice to be able to think outside the box?

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  14. A wonderful recipe! Those seared scallops look irresistible.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  15. Lovely presentation! Scallops and watermelon sound really good.

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  16. That is a pan of perfectly seared scallops! And the presentation is delightful, perfect summer food fare!

    Bon appetit!
    =:~)

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  17. I would have never thought to incorporate watermelon in a salad.. delicious! And after looking at this I have champagne in my fridge that might have to be added to a vinaigrette soon!

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  18. Love that quote!
    Love these scallops.
    Reminds me a lot of the TUT messages I receive.

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  19. I adore scallops and yours look as near perfect as can be. This is a great recipe. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

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  20. I adore scallops, Sommer, and this looks so perfect. Brian does not like them, so I usually reserve my scallop appetite for restaurants, but this makes me want to go out and buy all the scallops I can find and make them just for me. The flavors sound amazing.

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  21. What a great idea, I LOVE it! This is the second recipe I've seen that has called for champagne vinaigrette, I must find some!

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  22. Oh, hey, hey, hey.. En Vogue

    Love the dish :-)

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  23. This looks absolutely unbelievable!! I do eat scallops, and this one is huge! Definitely bookmarking this recipe- thanks =)

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  24. How wonderful, I had this at a fancy pants restaurant for an app - LOVE it

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  25. Yum Sommer! This is true summer food. No cooking except for a quick sear and a cold salad with refreshing, hydrating watermelon. I like it! By the way, I'm going to send out your last post to all the people I know who want to open a restaurant but are too scared. Yeah!

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  26. I love watermelon in salads, and just everything, really! With scallops, yummy.

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  27. Very nice dish! The presentation is so pretty and you sound so inspired. P.S. I love the word "yumazing" :)

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  28. What a great idea! I get caught in ruts sometimes too, and looking back, always am surprised at what simple little things drag me out of it.

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  29. Wow! I have been in a mental rut lately and this just blows it wide open!!

    Fantastic, though essentially simple combination. Love the colours, the flavours and LOVE that you used champagne vinegar for the dressing!

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  30. This is gorgeous! So light and summery. I love your twist with the watermelon! Now I need to get out my rut...I'm totally inspired!

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  31. Wow, what a gorgeous scallop dish! Perfect for summer, love the twist :)

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  32. Beautiful ! Can you send one over ? I love watermelon in salads though never thought about pairing it with scallops - thanks for the idea

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  33. Wow, that's gorgeous. I love the vinaigrette especially. Well, and the scallop. Um, and that watermelon. :)

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  34. Your wheels were turned into right direction. The dish looks yummily amazing. Salad so refreshing with mint and melon. I wish I was digging one of those right now.

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  35. this is certainly a wow!! those scallops look incredible, such a great crust on them with all those wonderful spices!! And then on top of a watermelon round, what a perfect combination...the coolness of the watermelon against the spicy scallop!!! just amazing!

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  36. What a fun idea! I actually put salt on my watermelon and it's really good, so I'm sure it's great with a "savory" meal. And I like the sparkling mint vinaigrette. Fun!

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  37. When I saw this title I knew I just had to check it out and you did not disappoint! I am so glad you followed your inspiration because this looks just phenomenal and so summery! I would have loved to have sat at your table and enjoyed this. :)

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  38. Gorgeous! I can tell from the photo that you cooked that scallop perfectly.

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  39. Sommer, if you don't get a new post up soon, I'm going to claw through my screen trying to eat this! Every time I stop by it tempts me to eat it. It's just so beautiful!

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  40. Sommer Dear - Those scallops are perfectly seared and the sauce is incredible. What a combination with the watermelon!!! WOW!

    Devaki@weavethousandflavors

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  41. Sommer...If ever my favourite scallops would have been served on watermelon that I usually devour quite nicely on it's own...It would certainly bring me a very unexpected element of surprise.
    I just may try it since you made me curious ;o)

    Ciao for now,
    Claudia

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  42. Absolutely wonderful...The presentation, the flavors, the sear and photos...Spectacular!

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  43. i love this, new va va boom, always great to mix it up a bit..and your watermelon disks paired with seafood, perfect..I think watermelon gets put off to the side sometimes, great idea

    sweetlife

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  44. This dish looks amazing. The scallops are wonderful. I also love your vinaigrette idea. Perfect for summer....

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  45. Beautiful color on your scallops! So light and flavorful~just right for warm summer nights.

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  46. I wish we could get decent watermelons here in the UK - they are never as sweet as you will have them. That is a lovely idea, though!

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  47. Wow! The picture alone attracts one to this seafood salad - if that if a fair description. I cannot wait to make it. I've got everything except the mellon and I substitute a Big Fat slice of ripe tomato - although I do want to try the mellon.
    If the secret truth is known, I will eat a seared fat scollop with almost anything, to a round of mellin is an easy leap. Good presentation and truly world-class pix. Thank you.

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I love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for taking the time. If you have a question, I'll get back to you ASAP!